"David Gemmell - Rigante 4 - Stormrider" - читать интересную книгу автора (Gemmel David)

reality touched his mind. If he left now he would almost certainly die. He did not have the
strength to make it back to the high cave. He cursed softly. In all likelihood the bear would not
come to the cabin. It would eat its fill, and return to its lair. Kaelin fetched his pack and
carried it back into the main room. Then he prepared a fire. Once the flames caught he removed his
hooded cloak and sheepskin topcoat and squatted down before the blaze. The heat was welcome.
Outside the light was fading. If the bear did come now . . .
Fear touched the young Rigante, and he tried to quell it. 'If it comes I'll kill it,' he said
aloud. The strength of the words calmed him, though only momentarily. Finbarr and Ural had
discharged weapons at the beast. They had not stopped it.
Kaelin added more wood to the fire. His Emburley pistols were more powerful than Finbarr's
weapons, and his musket was new. Picking up the weapon he rubbed at the mechanism with a fire-


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warmed cloth. Once it was working he loaded the musket and left it on the floor within easy reach.
Warmer now, he began to relax a little as his strength returned. There was a bitter breeze blowing
through the ruined wall. Kaelin found Finbarr's box of tools and began to make temporary repairs.
The bear had torn out the timbers to the right of the door frame. The frame had buckled and
snapped, tearing off the door and causing the roof to drop. Timbers had bent inwards, and the bear
had struck them, snapping two completely as it entered the cabin. There was no way to repair the
frame properly, but Kaelin managed to force some of the timbers back, and nail them, reinforcing
the repair with sections of wood from the broken table. By the end of two hours he had created
enough of a barrier to prevent the worst of the weather from freezing the cabin. Were the bear to
return, however, it would be a matter of moments before it tore its way in.
Kaelin recovered Finbarr's musket and pistol, found the man's powder and shot and reloaded both
weapons. Then he went to his pack, and removed some of the food he had brought to share with the
family. There was a round of cheese, a section of honey-roasted ham, and two pottery containers of
plum preserve, which the children loved. Sadness swept once more over Kaelin. They were good boys,
and would have become fine men. Adding fuel to the fire he sat quietly, eating slices of ham.
Then he heard a noise. Rolling to his feet he snatched up his musket and cocked it. The sound had
come from the bedroom. His heart began to beat more rapidly. Moving forward, he flicked the latch
of the door and threw it open. There was no window here, and no way the bear could have gained
entrance. Kaelin stepped inside. The room was empty. Dropping to one knee he bent and looked under
the bed. A pile of folded clothing lay there. Kaelin rose, and scanned the small room. Apart from
the beds there was a chest of drawers and, by the other wall, an ancient trunk, covered with
carved symbols. 'Get a grip, Kaelin,' he told himself. 'Now you're hearing things.'
As he spoke he heard a soft sob coming from the trunk. Leaving the musket on the bed he knelt by
the old chest and lifted the lid. Red-haired Feargol was curled up inside, still in his
nightshirt. His face showed his terror. 'It's all right, boy,' said Kaelin, softly. 'It's Uncle
Kaelin. You are safe now.' He reached into the trunk. Feargol squeezed shut his eyes and tried to
burrow down through the clothes it contained. Kaelin paused. Instead of picking up the child he
gently patted his thin shoulder. 'You've been very brave, Feargol. I am very proud of you,' he
said, keeping his voice low and gentle. 'I think you should come out and have some food with me
now.'
Leaving the boy he gathered up his musket and returned to the fire. He sat for some time, waiting,
but Feargol did not come out. With a sigh Kaelin added more wood to the fire. The boy had moved
beyond terror. He had listened to the roar of the bear and the screams of his parents. He had
heard the snapping of bones and the rending of flesh. His world had been torn apart by the talons